Different sorts of data such as characters, tables and images are defined in different structures and edited by different editing operations. Therefore various application programs according to sorts of data are provided. Users selectively use applications in accordance with the kinds of data: a character processing program for editing characters, a spreadsheet program for editing a table, an image editing program for editing an image, etc.
Thus, users ordinarily use different application programs for various sorts of data. However, documents each constituted by a plurality of sorts of data, e.g., characters and a table, or characters and images are more commonly produced by users in comparison with documents constituted by only one sort of data, e.g., characters alone, tabulated data alone, or images alone. When a user produces a target document including a plurality of sorts of data, it is necessary for the user to use the printing function of each of the necessary kinds of application to print related data, and to combine and order pieces of printed matter according to his/her need.
A program called Office sweet and formed of various applications forming one integrated application provides the function of forming one document by combining groups of data produced by the different applications. By using such an integrated application, a user can combine groups of data produced by some applications into one target document by a specific application contained in the integrated application.
Some of systems formed by an information processor such as a personal computer connected to a printer, etc., also include a spool module which temporarily stores data in a spool file by forming the data in a data format (what is called, intermediate code) different from a final format, i.e., the format of printing data sent to a printer before the data is formed as printing data by a printer driver on the information processor, a despool module which reprocesses the data temporarily stored in the intermediate code format into printing data to be finally sent to the printer, and a core driver module which generates printer control commands. Each of the spool module, the despool module, and the core driver module is provided in a state of being incorporated in the printer drier when the printer driver is installed in the information processor. The printer driver and these modules are recognized as one printer driver from each application.
However, in a case where a user produces one target document by combining pieces of printed matter provided by using various applications, numbering of the pages of the document for example requires a process in which the necessary data is first printed out from a printer, the pieces of printed matter printed out are combined into one document, and the user determines page numbers to be assigned to the pages. The page numbers must be set manually by the user. Even if one of the application has a page numbering function, discontinuous document portions may be produced by the application. In such a case, the user must also designate page numbers on the portions after each discontinuity. Also, it is not possible to number the pages of a plurality of document files produced by different kinds of application by treating the plurality of files as one document. In a case where the pages of a target document is rearranged, it is necessary to renumber the pages according to the arrangement. Even in a case where the format is simply changed without changing data contents, e.g., a case where a plurality of original pages are combined into one page of printed matter (referred to as “physical page” or “print page”) or in case where the printing mode is changed from one-sided printing to double-sided printing, reediting and reprinting by the corresponding application is required.
Thus, different applications are required to respectively manage different sorts of data and a user using applications must provide manual interfacing between the applications by him/herself. This means that much effort is required of users to use applications and the productivity of document production is low. Also, there is an increased possibility of errors because of the existence of manual interfacing increasing a number of manual operations.
On the other hand, in a case where a target document is produced by using an integrated application, various sorts of data can be arranged in the data state without being printed out. Therefore, document production using an integrated application does not require so much effort as that in the case of producing a target document by combining pieces of printed matter.
In the case of use of an integrated application, however, applications for editing and producing various sorts of data are limited to those contained in the integrated application. It is not always possible for a user to use applications according to his/her need. Also, a target document formed by an integrated application is one document file and is managed on a file-by-file basis with respect editing, outputting, etc. Therefore there are many restrictions relating to application functions on a format setting of part of such a document. For example, it is necessary to repeat operations for changing the format setting and reprinting in correspondence with format changing points. Thus, a method of editing and producing a document by using an integrated application also has the drawbacks of requiring much effort and having low productivity, as does the above-described method of using independent applications.
Further, some of systems formed by an information processor such as a personal computer connected to a printer, etc., also include a spooler which temporarily stores data in a data format (what is called, intermediate code) different from that for printing data finally sent to a printer, a despooler which reprocesses the data temporarily stored in the intermediate code format into printing data to be finally sent to the printer, and a means for generating printer control commands. Also, a mechanism for designating a printing range in data temporarily stored and enabling the data in the designated range to be printed exists as a system commonly used. However, there is a problem with this system and mechanism that a printing effect designed before saving of printing data cannot be obtained according to the design if a printing range is designated at the time of printing.